go into overtime.” He’s as still as a statue, but keeps hold
of my arm in his vise grip.
Since he doesn’t seem
concerned with cost, I change tactics. His mouth has turned Berry Noir, so I
grab a tissue from my ditty bag and hand it to him. “You should wipe the
lipstick off your face.” He just stares at me, silent and still, but lets go of
my arm to retrieve the tissue. I turn and walk away as fast as my shaking knees
can.
Bryan is easy to find—he’s
been standing in plain sight the entire time. Maybe that’s why Jackson was so
still. He doesn’t want his brother to see us together. I suddenly feel like Jackson’s
dirty little secret.
When I reach Bryan, I wrap my
arm through his. “Follow me to the DJ booth. We want you to make a little
speech to thank your guests before we bring the cake out.”
I try to stay half a step in
front of him, so I don’t have to see his eyes on me.
“Are you dating Jackson?”
“Don’t be silly.” I’m sure
Jackson doesn’t date. More likely, he just plunders.
“I saw him kiss you earlier,
and then you both came out of that back room—and I know sex hair when I see it.”
My hand goes instantly to my head.
“Not your hair.
Jackson’s.” I realize my little move just confirmed Bryan’s suspicions. “Jillian,
I think you’d be great for my brother. Just—make sure—always be honest with
him.”
“And no surprises?”
Bryan acts contrite. “I was a
little worried about that. But instead he gave you a big kiss!”
There’s how things are, and
there’s how things look. Nobody knows that better than an event planner. Bryan
thinks Jackson is dating me, and I’m thinking it’s more of a personal vendetta.
How did things go so far, so fast?
When we reach the DJ booth, I
text Robert, the lighting guy, and Minerva before I hand Bryan the microphone.
As the DJ finishes his mix, I
push Bryan into the spotlight.
“Thank you all for coming to
my party! As you know, I’ve just spent two weeks in the Italian countryside and
tonight in San Francisco—both thanks to my brother.” Bryan walks back toward
Jackson, and the spotlight follows him. “If there’s one thing I learned in my first
quarter of a century, it’s that family can be annoying, but they can also be
awesome!”
When Bryan reaches his
brother, he gives him a big bear hug. Jackson looks terrified, and the
expression on his face is worth the price of admission. “Let’s give it up for
my bro—Jackson! He’s the guy who’s paying for all this!” Glasses fill the air
and mix with shouts of approval.
Bryan’s friends descend on
the two and slap Jackson on the back. He looks like such a fish out of water
when only five minutes ago he was master of all he could hold—and manhandle.
The house lights dim and
spotlights land on the two large silk banners that flank the DJ booth. The silk
billows and twists, and two aerialists drop from the ceiling into the suspended
fabric. While they climb, wrap, and drop to the strains of a Tchaikovsky piece,
I make a beeline to the pipe and drape. I need to wheel out the cake, sing “Happy
Birthday,” and get the hell out of this place.
Now that I have some distance
from the man, I’m horrified at what I let him do. I fell right into his beautiful
hands, because I thought he wanted me. I feel like a fool, and I’ll bet that
was his intent. It’s my own fault. He told me he wanted to give me a lesson in
submission. Sex isn’t about attraction with him; it’s about power. Minerva
warned me. He mindfucks women, and even knowing that was no defense
against it.
Robert is right behind the
curtain, placing twenty-five candles on the cake.
“Listen, I need a really big
favor, and I’m willing to pay for it.”
“You want to leave early with
Jackson? I think that’s worth $250, if I have to close by myself.”
“I’ll pay you $500, and I
want to leave without Jackson. He has the wrong impression of me.”
“That you’re easy?”
“That
of my arm in his vise grip.
Since he doesn’t seem
concerned with cost, I change tactics. His mouth has turned Berry Noir, so I
grab a tissue from my ditty bag and hand it to him. “You should wipe the
lipstick off your face.” He just stares at me, silent and still, but lets go of
my arm to retrieve the tissue. I turn and walk away as fast as my shaking knees
can.
Bryan is easy to find—he’s
been standing in plain sight the entire time. Maybe that’s why Jackson was so
still. He doesn’t want his brother to see us together. I suddenly feel like Jackson’s
dirty little secret.
When I reach Bryan, I wrap my
arm through his. “Follow me to the DJ booth. We want you to make a little
speech to thank your guests before we bring the cake out.”
I try to stay half a step in
front of him, so I don’t have to see his eyes on me.
“Are you dating Jackson?”
“Don’t be silly.” I’m sure
Jackson doesn’t date. More likely, he just plunders.
“I saw him kiss you earlier,
and then you both came out of that back room—and I know sex hair when I see it.”
My hand goes instantly to my head.
“Not your hair.
Jackson’s.” I realize my little move just confirmed Bryan’s suspicions. “Jillian,
I think you’d be great for my brother. Just—make sure—always be honest with
him.”
“And no surprises?”
Bryan acts contrite. “I was a
little worried about that. But instead he gave you a big kiss!”
There’s how things are, and
there’s how things look. Nobody knows that better than an event planner. Bryan
thinks Jackson is dating me, and I’m thinking it’s more of a personal vendetta.
How did things go so far, so fast?
When we reach the DJ booth, I
text Robert, the lighting guy, and Minerva before I hand Bryan the microphone.
As the DJ finishes his mix, I
push Bryan into the spotlight.
“Thank you all for coming to
my party! As you know, I’ve just spent two weeks in the Italian countryside and
tonight in San Francisco—both thanks to my brother.” Bryan walks back toward
Jackson, and the spotlight follows him. “If there’s one thing I learned in my first
quarter of a century, it’s that family can be annoying, but they can also be
awesome!”
When Bryan reaches his
brother, he gives him a big bear hug. Jackson looks terrified, and the
expression on his face is worth the price of admission. “Let’s give it up for
my bro—Jackson! He’s the guy who’s paying for all this!” Glasses fill the air
and mix with shouts of approval.
Bryan’s friends descend on
the two and slap Jackson on the back. He looks like such a fish out of water
when only five minutes ago he was master of all he could hold—and manhandle.
The house lights dim and
spotlights land on the two large silk banners that flank the DJ booth. The silk
billows and twists, and two aerialists drop from the ceiling into the suspended
fabric. While they climb, wrap, and drop to the strains of a Tchaikovsky piece,
I make a beeline to the pipe and drape. I need to wheel out the cake, sing “Happy
Birthday,” and get the hell out of this place.
Now that I have some distance
from the man, I’m horrified at what I let him do. I fell right into his beautiful
hands, because I thought he wanted me. I feel like a fool, and I’ll bet that
was his intent. It’s my own fault. He told me he wanted to give me a lesson in
submission. Sex isn’t about attraction with him; it’s about power. Minerva
warned me. He mindfucks women, and even knowing that was no defense
against it.
Robert is right behind the
curtain, placing twenty-five candles on the cake.
“Listen, I need a really big
favor, and I’m willing to pay for it.”
“You want to leave early with
Jackson? I think that’s worth $250, if I have to close by myself.”
“I’ll pay you $500, and I
want to leave without Jackson. He has the wrong impression of me.”
“That you’re easy?”
“That
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